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Senate notes: Concordia approves a joint grad program in nanoscience and nanotechnology

The provost's academic update highlights student successes
April 4, 2018
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By Karen McCarthy


At the March 16 Senate meeting, Concordia’s president Alan Shepard began his remarks by thanking all faculty, staff and students who worked and volunteered their time to make the February 10 Open House and Portfolio Day a success.

More than 4,000 people turned up to learn about Concordia, with some prospective students applying on the spot. For the first time, students from Gatineau and Quebec City were bussed in to attend the event.

The university recently announced two major gifts as part of the Campaign for Concordia. The president said Miriam Roland’s deep sense of pride and connection to the university led her to make a $3 million gift. The funds will be used to establish the Miriam Aaron Roland Graduate Fellowships.

Jonathan and Susan Wener donated $10 million, a portion of which will be used to establish a Centre for Real Estate in the John Molson School of Business. The president noted that Jonathan Wener, a Concordia alumnus, has been university chancellor since 2015.

The university continues to make gains in international rankings said the president, referring to the 2018 QS World Rankings by Subject. In the Art and Design category, Concordia was among the top four in Canada, tied for first place. Concordia also placed in the top 300 in the Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering category. For the first time, Sociology was among the top 300.

In sports, the president shared news that the Stingers women’s hockey team advanced to the U SPORTS National Championships (where they earned a bronze medal). The Stingers men’s hockey team captured a bronze medal in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships, which made them eligible to play in the U SPORTS National Championships.

Shepard also congratulated Vivek Venkatesh for being named a co-chair for the Prevention of Radicalization and Violent Extremism by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).


Academic update

Graham Carr, provost and vice-president of Academic Affairs, delivered his academic report to Senate, which emphasized the academic successes of students in all four faculties.

Examples included case and video competitions, as well as essay contests. Carr said these initiatives increase the university’s visibility nationally and globally.

He also referred to the successful inaugural year of the Concordia’s Public Scholars Program, a partnership with the Montreal Gazette that bridges the gap between academic research and the community.

The first cohort of 10 PhD resarchers was recently featured at Truth and Consequences, an event where each spoke for five minutes about their research. The second cohort of public scholars were also on hand at the event.


Senate approved changes to Finance Committee membership

Following a recommendation from Senate’s Steering Committee, the vice-provost of Planning and Positioning will now be a member of the Finance Committee. This position replaces the vice-provost of Faculty Relations as a non-voting member on the committee.


Academic program changes approved

Among the approved changes to undergraduate academic programs is the renaming of three programs in the School of Irish Studies. This reflects the recent name change for the School and its activities. The programs will be renamed BA in Irish Studies, Minor in Irish Studies and Certificate in Irish Studies.


New joint graduate program in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology approved

Senate approved a joint new master’s thesis program in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

The MSc/MASc program will train both scientists and engineers to work in a fast-moving field that requires interdisciplinary approaches to tackle major initiatives in the application of nanomaterials.

Paula Wood-Adams, dean of Graduate Studies, said this is the first time that Concordia is offering a joint program that involves two faculties and several departments.

This inter-faculty and inter-departmental program will be equally administered by the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Physics in the Faculty of Arts and Science, as wells as the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical and Industrial and Aerospace Engineering and Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science.

Both André Roy, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, and Amir Asif, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, said the joint program is an exciting initiative which builds on the university’s strengths in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

The graduate program will now go to the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire and the Quebec Ministry of Higher Education for approval.

 



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